Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2<br></br>- James Hunter's match analysis

WHEN you’ve waited eight years to reach the fifth round, what’s another 120 minutes?

WHEN you’ve waited eight years to reach the fifth round, what’s another 120 minutes?

Sunderland needed a replay and extra-time to overcome neighbours Middlesbrough, but the 4,200-strong Red and White Army who braved a bitterly cold night at the Riverside didn’t mind one bit.

For the first time since 2004, when Mick McCarthy’s team went all the way to the semi-finals, the Black Cats are into the last 16.

Sunderland have booked a fifth-round date with Arsenal at the Stadium of Light a week on Saturday which will mean two home games in a row against the Gunners, who also visit this weekend in the Premier League.

Roy Keane, Ricky Sbragia and Steve Bruce all failed to produce anything remotely resembling a cup run in their respective reigns on Wearside.

But Martin O’Neill has done it at the first attempt as his dream start to managerial life on Wearside continues.

In the space of just two months the Ulsterman has resuscitated Sunderland’s ailing league campaign, and now he has given the fans the buzz and excitement that comes with a cup run.

The Black Cats had to do it the hard way, though, against a promotion-chasing Boro side who were never going to roll over against Premier League opposition.

Derby games are rarely remembered for the quality of their football, and neither the original tie nor this replay will linger long in the memory.

It was scrappy and error-strewn, with both sides struggling to get a grip of the game in midfield.

Former Sunderland man Julio Arca brought an early save out of Simon Mignolet and the Belgian goalkeeper also had to make an excellent stop from Seb Hines just after the half-hour.

The highlight of the match, however, was Jack Colback’s fabulous left-foot strike which left Boro keeper Jason Steele grasping at thin air, as it found the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.

Boro almost hit straight back through Tony McMahon, but Phil Bardsley threw himself in the way of the midfielder’s goalbound effort to make sure Sunderland were ahead at the interval. Sunderland looked comfortable in the second half but could not add to their lead, and paid the price when a mistake from the otherwise excellent Michael Turner presented January signing from Coventry City, Lukas Jutkiewicz, with a chance just before the hour.

Turner got underneath the ball as he tried to head clear, missed entirely and Jutkiewicz was in the right place to open his account for his new club.

The final 30 minutes of normal time saw chances at both ends but a combination of poor decision-making, inaccurate crosses and wild shooting meant that neither side could find a winner.

Extra-time followed a similar pattern, with Craig Gardner heading over the bar from close range when he should have scored and then at the other end John O’Shea blocking a shot from Marvin Emnes – and then McMahon blazed the rebound over the bar.

The prospect of penalties was looming in the second period of extra-time when Stephane Sessegnon took the ball off Connor Wickham’s toe to score the winner in front of the travelling fans with seven minutes left.

It’s a long, long road to Wembley, but the Black Cats have at least taken another step.

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